Faculty Soccer Inventory Watch: Why USC is Heading in Proper Route, and Alabama Is not

The next college football game is still more than six months away, but you might already have a sense of which programs are moving in the right direction. At least that’s what FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt believes.

In the most recent episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” Klatt shared three teams he thinks are trending in the right direction and three teams that are trending toward taking a step back in 2026. As Klatt iterated, this isn’t necessarily a list of teams that he thinks will or won’t make the College Football Playoff. Rather, it’s a list of teams that are either building momentum or have lost some control this offseason. 

So, let’s take a look and see which teams Klatt likes at the moment and who he thinks might need a reality check. 

Trending up 

Klatt is optimistic about USC because of its foundation. 

“I think it’s time to get a little bit bullish on USC,” Klatt said. “This is a team that has the experienced quarterback coming back. I think we all now understand that’s what it takes to be successful in college football. So, you’ve got Jayden Maiava back. 

“Here’s the part that I actually think is more impactful: How about getting the entire offensive line back? Now, we’re talking because you’ve got a quarterback, offensive line and the entire backfield back. King Mack, who had to fill in after Waymond Jordan was injured, is back, and you have both him and Jordan back in the backfield. So, you’ve got what I believe to be, at least the potential of, the best running game Riley has had since his OU days. You remember those old Trey Sermon, Rodney Anderson days when they were just running roughshod over everybody? I think USC can be a dominant run team.” 

Returning USC running back Waymond Jordan rushed for 576 yards on 6.5 yards per carry in six games last season (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

To Klatt’s point, that run game helped USC rank sixth in the Big Ten in rushing last season. Klatt believes that continuity will help the Trojans fill the void left by wide receiver Makai Lemon going to the NFL, as he also praised USC’s recent defensive coordinator hire. 

“Lincoln Riley lost D’anton Lynn, the defensive coordinator whom I was a big fan of, but he brings in Gary Patterson,” Klatt said. “I really love the idea of having Gary Patterson here for Lincoln Riley. He built a winner at TCU. He’s a defensive-oriented guy, he’s got high energy and a wealth of experience Lincoln can use and bounce things off of. That’s a win. Now, I think Lynn is great. So, I’m not saying this is an upgrade or a downgrade. But it’s a win for Lincoln Riley and USC to get Gary Patterson. 

Klatt isn’t predicting UCLA to make the CFP next season. However, he thinks the Bruins can have a “decent year,” play in a bowl game and possibly do “more” than that because of new head coach Bob Chesney.”

“I think UCLA is clearly pointing in the right direction and pointing up,” Klatt said. “Bob Chesney’s a very good football coach. The reason I know that is because when Curt Cignetti left James Madison, a lot of those players left. It’s not like Chesney was left some war chest at JMU to continue to win. Guess what he did? Continue to win. Nine wins in his first season post-Cignetti, and Cignetti took 13 players with him to Indiana. Then, he took JMU to the playoff in Year 2. He went 21-6 in two seasons. He knows what it’s about. He’s a very good football coach.”

Nico Iamaleava accounted for over 2,400 yards of offense and 17 touchdowns in his first year at UCLA. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Chesney’s two seasons at JMU were actually his first two years coaching in Division I. Prior to that, Chesney was one of the top coaches in the lower levels of college football. He went 111-46 over 14 seasons between his stops at Salve Regina, Assumption and Holy Cross. 

In addition to Chensey’s pedigree, Klatt also believes UCLA is in a great spot at quarterback entering 2026.

“[Chesney] would not have to start out over at crucial place. He has a two-year beginning quarterback — one at Tennessee, one at UCLA — and Nico Iamaleava is 25 begins in and he is a five-star participant,” Klatt mentioned. “I do know Tennessee followers do not like this man and possibly a variety of followers do not like him due to every part that occurred final offseason, however the reality stays that was not an excellent soccer crew, aside from him. He was the one that may give them an opportunity. Now, you encompass him with some higher gamers.”

Much like UCLA, Klatt has Virginia Tech right here as a result of he likes their head coach and quarterback. 

“I feel Virginia Tech made an incredible rent with James Franklin,” Klatt mentioned. “That is an excellent soccer coach who simply sort of capped out along with his ceiling at Penn State. You’ll be able to’t argue with what he was in a position to accomplish at Penn State. The man was profitable, very profitable. He did not win a number of the larger video games they usually ran him out, which is ok. I am not saying they should not have. Candidly, I’d’ve admitted that it was time for a change. However he was an excellent coach. He goes to Virginia Tech, which is a spot that I feel he can match and he is recruited that space very nicely over his profession.”

Ethan Grunkemeyer threw six touchdowns to zero interceptions in his last 4 video games at Penn State. (Picture by Evan Bernstein/Getty Photographs)

Franklin has confirmed that time to be appropriate. He rapidly helped Virginia Tech’s 2026 recruiting rating enhance to No. 30, whereas the Hokies’ switch portal class ranked nineteenth this offseason, per 247 Sports activities. One of many highlights of that switch portal class was quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, whom Klatt shared an attention-grabbing anecdote about.

“I hope he would not get mad at me for telling this, however Grunkemeyer performed very well in opposition to Indiana and Penn State,” Klatt mentioned. “After the sport, I used to be texting with Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines in preparation for future video games and I used to be like, ‘Credit score to that offensive line, they ran the ball nicely.’ He texted again, ‘I used to be so impressed by their quarterback.’ One of many two or three defensive coordinators I respect probably the most in school soccer is Haines, and when he tells me {that a} man was unbelievable and onerous to cease, that tells you one thing.” 

Inventory down 

Klatt’s reasoning for putting Alabama as a crew with its inventory down is easy: It is not on the identical stage as the 2 elite groups within the SEC, Georgia and Texas, which is a brand new actuality in Tuscaloosa. 

“The truth is, they’re coming off back-to-back four-loss years,” Klatt mentioned. “The perfect a part of their crew was Ty Simpson — by a large margin — they usually’re shedding him. I do not love what is going on on down there. They acquired blown out by Georgia within the SEC Championship Recreation. They acquired blown out by Indiana. Indiana did no matter they wished to do. They ran the ball 50 instances straight at Alabama. This isn’t the Alabama of two, three, 4 or 5 and positively not 10 years in the past. Alabama has been trending down and I feel that pattern goes to proceed.”

Kalen DeBoer’s 20-8 file over two years is a fall off from what Alabama had beforehand been. (Picture by Luke Hales/Getty Photographs)

As Kalen DeBoer has gone 20-8 in his first two years at Alabama, Klatt has issues for him at quarterback and throughout the roster. 

“They have to determine their quarterback for subsequent 12 months. Is it going to be Austin Mack or Keelon Russell? They have zero begins between them in an period the place expertise is every part you want at that place,” Klatt mentioned. “While you take a look at Alabama’s portal, it was OK. I do not suppose it was nice. To me, it was a trajectory factor for Alabama. They’re on a trajectory that’s down. I do not suppose that is going to cease. It has to stage out in some unspecified time in the future so as to return up. However I do not sense that second of Alabama leveling out quickly.” 

Alabama had the Seventeenth-best switch portal class within the nation, however solely the sixth-best switch portal class within the SEC, per 247 Sports activities. The Crimson Tide additionally misplaced a couple of starters within the portal, watching broad receiver Isaiah Horton go to Texas A&M and defensive linemen Qua Russaw and James Smith go to Ohio State. 

It has been a tough couple of years for Mike Norvell at Florida State after the Seminoles went 13-1 in 2023, posting a 7-17 file within the final two years. Klatt would not see that altering any time quickly for a myriad of causes. 

“It is onerous for me to not put Florida State on this checklist,” Klatt mentioned. “Florida State was down dangerous and there actually is not any mild on the finish of that tunnel. What occurred after Week 1, beating Alabama, didn’t go nicely. Quarterback appears like it should be Ashton Daniels, who bounced round and was Auburn’s backup final 12 months and performed on the finish of the season after beginning out at Stanford. Is that the reply you need? I do not know. 

“Then, late within the teaching carousel course of, Gus Malzahn, their offensive coordinator, decides to retire. I like Mike Norvell. I feel Mike Norvell’s a fairly good soccer coach. I feel that is a difficult place. They went the portal route after which when you miss within the portal route, it is like making an attempt to get again on the merry-go-round when it is going actually quick. It is robust to do. It hasn’t labored out for them.”

Mike Norvell has gone 7-17 within the final two years. (Picture by David Jensen/Getty Photographs)

Whereas Florida State had the Fifteenth-best recruiting class and Twenty seventh-best switch portal class this offseason, per 247 Sports activities, Klatt would not consider that is going to result in a sudden turnaround. 

“Within the final two years, they’re 0-9 on the highway. Is it going to get higher subsequent 12 months? In the event you simply base it off who they introduced in, each in the highschool stage and from the switch portal, I query it,” Klatt mentioned. “Now, how good is the ACC going to be? I do not know, however they have been ok to beat Florida State.” 

Lastly, Klatt has Utah amongst his groups trending within the mistaken course, regardless that he would not blame the Utes for the way in which they dealt with former head coach Kyle Whittingham’s departure. After going 11-2 this previous season, Klatt thinks Utah will take a step again this 12 months because of the coaches and expertise it misplaced to Michigan. 

“Not solely did Kyle Whittingham bounce again into the teaching ranks, however he did so at a blue blood, the place it was going to be extremely attractive for these loyal to Kyle at Utah to affix him and take a run at this factor. That is precisely what occurred,” Klatt mentioned. “Jason Beck, who was excellent for Utah because the offensive coordinator, leaves, and now he is at Michigan. A few Utah’s finest gamers, defensive lineman John Henry Daley and cornerback Smith Snowden, are gone to Michigan.”

New Utah head coach Morgan Scalley has seen lots of the Utes’ key contributors go away this offseason. (Picture by David Becker/Getty Photographs)

Klatt continued to iterate that he thought Utah did “every part proper” with its succession plan, naming defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley its head coach in ready forward of the 2024 season. However he thinks Whittingham’s resolution to go to Michigan will put a halt to the momentum this system in-built 2025. 

“It had been setting issues up for a variety of years, and that could be what damage Utah on this entire carousel,” Klatt mentioned. “Utah had been setting this up for Morgan Scalley, the defensive coordinator, to take over for Kyle Whittingham on the proper time. It was going to be the Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley and the City Meyer to Ryan Day handoff. Then, it wasn’t. I’ve acquired to inform you, it issues me for Utah.”